Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1887-08-10

vest that must have been an heirloom, a
sheepskin coat, the wool inside, together
with tho boots before referred TO. He did
not appear to be too warm, though II was
remarked by the observant crowd ON the
platform that he wasn't shivering.
He was a tall, finely formed specimen OF
manhood, with honest, blue eyes and an
intelligent expression. He appeared some
what perplexed as he looked around. He
could not talk with the rest of the emigrants
as the Norwegian and Finnish language have
but little in common. His inquiries in his
native tongue OF tho platform crowd con-
corning the whereabouts OF any OF his
| countrymen did not meet with the most
| iattering success.
1--WE buried the last wan of YES peoples"
said paddy, IAN Wen plant We too fore We
| knows it.n
"w'y don't you talk United Statesi"
asked another.
'".he fish-bones are sticking in his teeth
90 he can't" put in third.
Then the crowd smiled at the surprising
amount Of hdmor it had developed, and
Judge wilkins pointed out the station agent
TO the bewildered Finlander. He presented
check and claimed a small wooden iron
| bound chest, painted VIVID red. The chest
| had heavy iron handles and an immense
painted in curious-shaped white letters,
"Petter Erik Peterson, Dakota, Prairie
| City, Mort Ammerilia, New York; He
| carried smaller chest in his hand bearing
| the same legend. II is supposed that the
| New York was added TO identify North
America.
Peter, which he soon anglicized TO Peter,
| shouldered his trunk and walked away,
which act gave the crowd on the platform
considerable respect for his strength, even
| IL 1t retained its poor opinion of him as q
| linguist. He succeeded in finding a man
who could understand few words of his
language, who directed him towards set
Element Of his people several miles from
town, and he proceeded In that direction,
still carrying his baggage-other people
might trust their possessions out of their
| sight If they wished TO, but not he.
But Peter had many things in view; he
had come TO the new world to do q great
work, and he thought Of 1t and II made his
| burden lighter. For Peter had come on a
mission. Half the people In the little viii
lage In which he lived and in the little val
| ley in which the village nestled mad given
something toward his coming. His father
and brothers and sisters and many Of his
friends, had contributed money TO his own
| little purse to make the sum sufficient to
| buy the ticket to America. For they were
| all very poor and the steamship companies
| demanded q fabulous sum to carry one
across the ocean. But others had gone from
other villages and had made such sums Of
| money in the new world that 1t was almost
| impossible to comprehend the amount
And they sent part of it back and repaid
their Indebtedness and enough more to buy
| others tickets, and they had done the same,
and gradually nearly the whole village had
sailed away towards that land where all
were rich and happy and every man as good
as every other man.
SO IL was time that this village bestirred
itself and started for America also. And
Peter was selected because he was strong
and hardy and intelligent, and was bound
to be a great man some day anyhow. And
besides he had been working for three
years to get money enough for this very
purpose and he was great traveller already,
having been as far as Stockholm.
SO they all gave Peter something to help
him on his way. The carpenter made his
chest without charge and the painter let
! tered it and would not hear of pay. Aud
! Peters grandfather, Hendrick Antijuntti
| Peterson, who lived up on the mountain,
| took Off his shcepskiu coat which he had
worn for sixty years, and which was Just in
the very height of fashion, and put il on
him with his blessing, explaining that as he
understood it this place, America, was on
the other side of the world and accordingly
had winter when Finland and Europe and
Asia were enjoying summer, and reckoning
from this stand point, he found that Peter
would reach there in the dead Of the cold
season ard good sheepstin coat or two
would not come amiss.
And as Peter trudged along he thought
of all these, but he was only home-sick and
wished himself back in the little village in
the little valley between the mountains
when he thought or another And her name
wac Mary But though the thought OF her
made him long to be back to his native
village it also made the bound chest
seemlightor, and he went on towards the
settlement all the faster. For Mary was
| the one above all others that Ia had come
to America to NorlI for Mary had
| helped him more than all the r2st-ahe had
1 given HIM more She ha / made him the
| bright-color1d sash he wore -shearcd the
sheep, carded ana spun the wool, dyed the
yarn and knit 1t, all with her own hands, as
a surprise for him on the day he left. And
had she not, too offered TO give him the
| little money she had earned tending the
flock OF goats for weather. neighbor, that
he might buy more comforts on his long
journey to far-off American And above
every thing else, she had given him her love
and was waiting back there in their little
native valley TO come TO him. For it was
understood that Mary was TO be the first to
come. All his friends agreed TO that and
wanted ii to be so, and Peter felt SO strong
that it did not seem that it would take him
long TO earn enough in this land of prouV sc
| a. r., hor Go h., -, 4
before his eyes that bright day when he
sailed away ina little fishing boat from the
nearest seaport town to his own village,
and of Mary, who had come across the
mountain with him, standing there on the
quay, waving little yellow handkerchief
at him as he went away from his native
land TO one in which he would be free and
make home for her. And as he went
across the prairie, to him she was still
standing on the quay waving the yellow
handkerchief aud the bright waters
sparkled between them, aud Mary and home
were beng left boAind; but Mary would
soon come and they would make new homo
| In new land.
Peter finally reached the settlement and
was warmly welcomed by his countrymen,
one or two Of whom no had been slightly
acquainted with In the old country, and
| WnObe letttrS ndu lou MIN 10 go where tney
were, rather than elsewhere. He staid
with one family that night and sat up very
late telling them and the neighbors who
had fiocked in how matters had gone in
their native land since they had left it.
Peter had trouble in finding work which
would keep him employed all the time.
The country was so new that each farmer
seemed able TO do every thing necessary
himself, so he soon saw that he could not
hope to bring Mary over before another
season and sorrowfully wrote her the fact.
II seemed long time TO wait-a whole
year, perhaps longer-but he kept up his
courage, for he knew she would come some
time. Her letters, which came ut irregular
intervals, being frequently delayed for q
long time, brought him new hope each
time, and one was almost worn out by con-
slant reading and carrying about with him
before another came. And sometimes she
inclosed a little mountain flower or pressed
moss from the old home and he showed II